recognition
by tvkeshi
Summary: He watched the head of the Disciplinary Committee stand and his legs moved before his brain could catch up. He didn't know if Alaudi remembered but in that moment, he didn't care. All he cared about was that the man he loved was standing before him alive. First Gen Reincarnation AU


_"I'm passing our rings onto Ricardo."_

_They lay in a plush bed the room only lit by the moon overhead._

_His – propped himself on his elbow eyes searching his face, waiting._

_Giotto thought he was beautiful, always had._

_Alaudi's light hair glowed, a halo, under the faint light._

_"He's ambitious and I trust the Famiglia will do well in his hands._

_Though he was resolved, Giotto found himself unable to look Alaudi in the eye when he told him._

_"I'm leaving Italy."_

_"Alright," was all he said._

_Giotto shot up indignant, "Alright? Alright? I'm leaving you! I'm leaving our family! And all you say is alright?"_

_Alaudi gave him a smile shared in private._

_"You can't."_

_"What?"_

_"You can't leave us."_

_He cut off Giotto's next words by reaching out and tracing his jaw._

_"You brought us together and gave us a home in you._

_"Where you lead, we will follow. We will _always_ follow."_

_Giotto leaned into the touch._

_"Aren't you talkative tonight?" his laugh was more of a choked sob. "You know, I've always –"_

_Alaudi pulled him back down into the bed._

_Later that night when the moon had begun to sink Alaudi pressed a kiss into his hair._

_"I know."_

**….**

He was six and on his first errand.

His mother had given him a bit extra and told him to buy himself a little something.

A pair of gloves caught his eye but he brushed them off and bought himself a chocolate.

He got older.

And as he got older he was consumed by a feeling. _Longing_.

He was alone, so alone.

He reached middle school and it grew so much worse.

Nightmares he could't remember.

Turning to speak only finding empty air.

His grades slipped more than he could afford.

He was constantly on edge.

_Where are they?_

_Where are they?_

_Where are they?!_

He missed them so desperately he could feel it eating away at his very soul.

He didn't know who they were, he didn't care. He just wanted them there.

**….**

He was in Hyper Dying Will mode.

He was fighting –

Daemon?

Why was he –

Mukuro, he was fighting Mukuro because he hurt his frie-family. He hurt his family and he hurt civilians.

He defeated Mukuro – why did he have trouble fighting a teenager? – and the Vindice – since when do they go after children? – came in and collected the escapees.

He turned.

G. No. Gokudera was unconscious but still breathing, same with everyone else but –

His eyes stopped abruptly at a fallen boy in black.

Alaudi.

Alaudi.

Alaudi had fallen.

Again.

Again.

He was going to lose him again.

He couldn't lose him again.

_The air was somber._

_He stood with G to his right and Asari to his left._

_Lampo was crying._

_He wanted to cry._

_He wanted to scream._

_He wanted to feel anything but the emptiness that filled his chest._

_He kept searching for the familiar flames only to find that part of him barren._

_Someone had once told him that Guardians are expendable. He had never believed that._

_He loved his family more than life itself._

_He loved –_

_The coffin was lowered into the ground. _

_The woman who was to be his wife placed a hand on his back._

_And he wanted to recoil. He wanted to push her away. He wanted to never see her again. _

_He never wanted to feel the softness of her dainty hands, hands lacking callouses from years of fighting. _

_He never wanted to feel her touch. _

_It wasn't the same. _

_It wasn't the same._

_He wanted to scream. _

_Wanted to tell her to go away, far away._

_Because he just –_

_He just lost –_

With an outstretched hand, he took a step forward.

Giotto took a step forward and fell to his knees.

"Alaudi," he gasped as his world went black.

**….**

Giotto squeezed his fist experimentally and the throb of bruised knuckles was a familiar one.

Someone was holding his left hand but that wasn't abnormal. Lampo got emotional whenever he was injured and, if it was bad enough, Knuckle would send the others off and sit with him until he awoke.

He didn't hear sniffling, so Knuckle it was.

Giotto relaxed, if anything was wrong Asari could handle it – especially if G had lost his temper.

He could feel the aches and pains gained after a good fight but they were stronger. Why hadn't Knuckle healed him? There was no way he would allow Giotto to stay in his current situation. Where was he? Giotto reached out for his flames only finding something similar but not quite.

Ryohei. Kunckle was Ryohei. His Sun was Ryohei.

With a frown he opened his eyes.

The light above him was bright but not enough to bother.

G – no, Gokudera was sitting at his bed side holding his hand.

Giotto knew he would be fine. But –

Alaudi.

Alaudi was injured.

From the first time Alaudi tried to arrest him, he had thought the other untouchable.

And then he wasn't.

He fell right before Giotto's eyes.

A part of him whispered that Alaudi was not Hibari, that Alaudi was dead and the dead don't come back to life no matter how hard he prayed.

But his flames –

No. He squashed the thought.

But what if it was –

Giotto moved slightly and G – Gokudera – raised his head.

They met eyes and all Giotto saw was the young face of a man he trusted with more than just his life.

He pressed his hands to his eyes pitifully trying to stave off the tears.

Gokudera's face morphed from glee to confusion.

And as Gokudera floundered trying to get him to stop crying, Giotto laughed.

It was just like the first couple of months after Giotto pulled him from that fire and G had convinced himself that he owed Giotto a life debt.

Giotto rested his hand on Gokudera's head and ruffled his hair slightly like he did when they were kids. Even though G grew – just a bit – taller than him and the tables turned out of Giotto's favor.

"I'll be alright," Giotto promised more to himself that to his friend.

"Juudaime…." Gokudera sat back into his seat looking perplexed.

Giotto lifted his hand and wiped his eyes.

He wasn't alright and he feared he might not ever be, not completely. But, he would at least see after Alau – Hibari's health.

**….**

Giotto was released from the hospital on a Sunday and was expected to return to school the next day.

This, Giotto thought, was entirely unreasonable. This body had entered Hyper Dying Will for the first time without proper training and added to that, he wasn't treated by Sun Flames – and he knew Reborn was a Sun, how could he not? His body shouldn't be expected to heal within several days.

He didn't possess the commendable healing abilities of a Cloud or a Sun.

But, whatever, he could deal, he's been through much worse with much higher stakes.

He could get over this.

Giotto's biggest problem was Nana. He was in the hospital for _days_ and came home covered in plasters. And. She. Didn't. Blink. An. Eye. He didn't know what bullshit Reborn had told her, but she had obviously bought it.

Giotto couldn't believe just how absent his mother was from his life and couldn't believe it took him that long to realize how bad it was.

But, he was technically an adult and he could deal with that too. Though, it made him miss his madre something fierce – her loss had been made bearable through their meeting Knuckle.

Tsuna deserved a mom like Madre. She was strong and ran the house husbandless and with an iron fist. She learned math and business and language by her father's knee. She was all that but she was also kind and made time to teach him the things a father should. And, she welcomed G, a child with nothing to his name, into her home and into her heart.

Tsuna deserved that.

Giotto was very glad that it was him that had to deal with Nana.

**….**

With much leg shaking, Giotto was able to wait until the end of the day and when the dismissal bell rung he was out of his chair and through the door before either of his friends could stop him.

He sprinted through the school like the devil was on his heels only skidding to a stop before the reception room and with a quick prayer he flung the door open.

He must have looked a sight. His clothes were disheveled, his breath came in pants – more from anxiety than from strain – and there was a panicked glint to his eye.

G would have never let him be seen like this.

Hell, Knuckle would frown at him.

And Asari would –

He didn't care.

"Sawada, what's wrong?" asked Kusakabe who looked legitimately concerned.

Giotto scanned the room until his eyes fell on a familiar figure.

They locked eyes and his plan went out the window when his mouth moved faster than his brain.

"Alaudi," the name was just loud enough to carry across the room.

He watched the head of the Disciplinary Committee stand and his legs moved before his brain could catch up. He didn't know if Alaudi remembered but in that moment, he didn't care. All he cared about was that the man he loved was standing in front of him _alive_.

_Too soon he had lost him._

_Giotto couldn't protect him and that would haunt him for the rest of his existence._

_The first time he recognized him, he was lying prone on the floor beaten and bloody._

"Sawada?" Giotto faintly heard Kusakabe ask again but then he was standing only a desk's width away from Alaudi and nothing else mattered.

Giotto reached up his hands.

"Thank god you're alive." His French was proper but years of disuse cause his accent to be less than exemplary.

Alaudi's eyes widened and after a moment he leaned slightly so that Giotto's hands cupped his face.

Giotto could have cried in relief.

"Out!" Alaudi's voice was strong and carried across the silent room.

Giotto could hear the bustle created as the room was emptied.

"Kyo-kun?"

"Out," Alaudi ordered without looking away from Giotto.

The door was closed and they were left with each other.

"How long?" Alaudi's accent was flawless and Giotto was warmed by the sound

"Since Mukuro. You?"

"The first time I saw you."

Giotto sucked in a breath, "I am so, _so _sorry I didn't find you sooner."

Alaudi pulled him around to his side of his desk gently his face unreadable.

Unexpectedly, Giotto was pressed firmly against Alaudi's chest, his face buried in his shoulder.

Giotto prided himself on his ability to remain composed, normally. But normally, he didn't see the man he loved alive after watching his coffin be lowered into the ground. He figured his response was reasonable.

After a moment they pulled apart and Giotto took several deep breathes inhaling Alaudi's sent whilst trying to compose himself.

Alaudi had always been the strongest of their family, but he had always been the most merciful, the most gentle.

He always accepted invitations to family dinners and when they were threatened he would capture and turn long before he would make the final strike.

It had surprised him at first, that a man known across France for his ruthless investigation. But the longer he knew him, but the more rumors he heard, he had never once heard of an investigation ending in anything other than an arrest.

The door was abruptly, and violently, swung open and Giotto lifted his head and turned blinking away the last of his tears.

An irate Gokudera – who took one look at the tear tracks on Giotto's face and whipped out a stick of dynamite – stood just inside the door.

"Get away from Juudaime, bastard!" Yamamoto's shoulderes were set though his face told no tales.

Giotto wiped his sleeve over his eyes, "It's fine, Gokudera-kun. " He felt Alaudi's hand at the small of his back.

"But Tenth!" he protested while attempting to glare Alaudi into submission. Giotto could have laughed.

"He didn't do anything to me. He's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine." He smiled, and it was fine, at least for a while.

Giotto had always needed to be grounded, ever since he was a child – had always had lofty dreams and no restraint. G had filled that place early on and the rest of his family followed as Giotto entered adulthood and gained the power to make his dreams a reality.

He could remember years of subconsciously searching for their flames.

He remembered the sense of yearning when his search was fruitless.

And then, he could feel Alaudi.

He took a step but before he could round the desk, Alaudi latched onto his wrist out of Gokudera's line of sight.

"I'll come to you tonight," he spoke ignoring the room's other occupants entirely.

Giotto thought for a moment, "Reborn will be there."

He shook his head and gave him a _look_.

"Alaudi, don't be unreasonable."

His stare was unrelenting.

"Fine –" Giotto sighed and flicked his wrist in the air – a habit he had never been able to break, " – do as you wish." His blaise response did nothing to conceal the fact that they both knew he was pleased.

Alaudi smirked briefly and released his grip. Giotto just shook his head with an exasperated smile.

And then, he turned to face his friends. To Gokudera who was openly gaping and Yamamoto who had his head cocked in confusion.

"Juu-Juudaime! When did you learn French?!" _And why didn't you tell me?_

"Ah –" he spared a glance to Alaudi then shrugged. " – Hibari-san taught me a long time ago." While that wasn't entirely the truth – his madre had taught him and Alaudi had taken it upon himself to fix what he considered her mistakes – it was close enough.

Gokudera still looked like he wanted to say something. Probably to admit disbelief of Alaudi's ability to teach anyone anything – which Giotto could easily understand. Reputation lead to rumors which led to misconceptions. And Alaudi had always been…_passionate_.

So, to circumvent what would only grow into an argument, Giotto threw an arm around him and practically dragged him from the room, missing Yamamoto's eyes narrow in suspicion.

**….**

That night, while Giotto was getting ready for bed, Alaudi knocked on his window then entered his room without bothering to wait for a response. It was typical and it made Giotto inexplicably happy.

Despite this he shot him a lighthearted glare and finished changing.

"Reborn is downstairs, so if you would." Giotto motioned towards the bed. "I'll be right back."

Alaudi complied and Giotto left the room.

After brushing his teeth, Giotto made to enter his room but the sound of voices stayed his hand.

"Did Tsuna invite you?"

"No."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because Tsunayoshi is here."

Reborn was interrogating Alaudi. Well, trying to at least. Giotto suppressed a chuckle, you can't successfully interrogate someone who knows all the tricks – Alaudi had been law enforcement for most of his adult life.

"Before today, that didn't matter to you."

"It has always mattered to me."

"Are you here against his will?"

Giotto took that as his cue to enter.

"Thank you for waiting," he said genially setting himself down next to Alaudi.

Reborn continued to point his gun at Alaudi.

"Dame-Tsuna, is –"

Giotto waved him off, "Hibari-san is fine. If I didn't want him here he wouldn't have come." Alaudi nodded his agreement.

Reborn looked like he didn't believe him but the gun transformed back into Leon regardless.

Giotto motioned for Alaudi to move then turned down the bed.

"He can't stay here."

Giotto turned off the light.

"Dame-Tsuna, he can't stay here."

He got into bed pulling Alaudi – who had the foresight to remove his shoes – down with him.

"Why not? It's not like we'd do anything untoward with you in the room."

Reborn didn't say anything else so Giotto assumed they were good.

In a familiar motion, Alaudi slung an arm over Giotto's waist their faces mere inches apart.

"_I am truly sorry._" Alaudi whisper was nearly inaudible but it still had Giotto's heart thud against his chest.

_A steadily growing pool of blood._

Giotto reached over and squeezed his hand in response.

They need to talk but not then, not when Reborn was nearby. But, sometime in the future, they would.

Things were different. Times were different. They were free to be different. To be more.

He rested his forehead against Alaudi's and breathed what felt like his first breath.

**….**

Giotto held his ring in his hand for the first time since he passed the set down to Ricardo.

His flames sung at its presence and Giotto was briefly filled with a sense of nostalgia.

He gave the rings to Ricardo for a reason. Hell, he went halfway across the world for that reason.

Giotto wanted nothing to do with the mafia and if this Xanxus character wanted to be Decimo than more power to him. But, knowing the rings had already been distributed, he refused to lose the battles. He would like to say that it wasn't a matter of pride per say, more like him not wanting to be proved he wasn't worthy of running his own Famiglia – it was definitely a pride thing.

He wasn't yet sure of exactly what would happen if he were to be named the official heir, but he knew that if it happened he would be unable to refuse. Giotto feared it was inevitable that he would reclaim his position, his _throne_. Why else would he once again stand surrounded by familiar faces? Why else would the ring once again find its place upon his palm? Somethings were, unfortunately, inevitable.

He slid the ring onto his finger.

The next day, with a half-hearted excuse that neither Yamamoto nor Gokudera argued with, Giotto went in search of Alaudi and found himself on the roof.

"Come on Kyouya!"

Huh, that was a familiar voice.

Giotto pushed open the door and emerged from the stairwell onto the roof proper.

The scene that met him was certainly unexpected.

It appeared as though Dino was attempting to spar with Alaudi.

Dino was the type of person Alaudi was naturally distrustful of.

Relaxed and seemingly naïve.

Alaudi was a firm believer in people being who they're supposed to be – it was the biggest reason it took him so long to why it took him so long to warm up to Daemon.

Giotto watched.

Alaudi was repeatedly dodging Dino's attacks but made no move to counter them.

Dino's goading laughter was only making the scene more painful to watch.

But maybe, Alaudi was having fun?

Regardless…

"Hibari-san!" he called out causing both parties to halt on opposite sides of the roof.

"Tsuna?!"

Ignoring Dino for the moment, Giotto walked over to Alaudi.

"Did he give it to you?" he asked.

Alaudi shook his head.

"Is he going to?"

"After the buffoon is done messing around."

Dino was nearly to them.

"You will accept it," Alaudi wasn't just referring to the Sky ring.

Giotto nodded.

"I am loyal to one."

A weight he hadn't recognized was lifted from his shoulders. Alaudi knew him as well as Simon and G did if not better. His repeating the oath he gave to Giotto when he received his ring showed him that somethings never changed. Clouds move freely, but the Sky will always be home.

"Then I will do everything in my power to succeed." Giotto could feel his flames dance in his eyes as he looked at Alaudi.

"That a pretty big declaration," Dino commented obviously having heard Giotto's oath.

The moment was lost, "It's not a declaration, Dino-san. It's a promise."

Dino looked oddly proud for a moment.

"I didn't know you were friends with Kyouya." It was a question.

"Ah, well. We're not really friends." Giotto shrugged his shoulder.

"You don't make a promise like that to a stranger," he pointed out.

"We're not quite friends but we're close."

Giotto could see the moment the lightbulb went off.

**….**

Iemetsu gave the Lightning ring to a literal child. It wasn't much better, but at least Lampo was 15 when they liberated him.

Lampo had been the eldest child of a land proprietor and was supposed to take over that year but he felt he deserved more. As Lampo told the story, it had started with him arguing with his old man about taking over his offices. The old man had hit him then stormed inside.

It was Knuckle that found him.

Knuckle healed the bruise and asked him if he wanted a pupose.

Lampo had known that his old man cared less for him and more for the money he threw at him to make him less of a problem.

He made the decision easily.

Giotto had been obviously well-off by that point and his reputation had begun to reach all corners of the south.

Lampo said that Giotto looked like an avenging angel when he swooped into his father's office, his mantel billowing behind him and his blond hair a halo.

_"We are here for your eldest son."_

Lampo's father refused.

So, Giotto dropped a small bag of coins on to the desk

_"Come along, Lampo."_

Lampo hadn't expected anything to come from Knuckle's promise that his boss would help him

He hadn't expected someone like Giotto to show up on their doorstep.

He also hadn't expected to follow the man out with nothing but the clothes on his back.

_"You're not a slave," Giotto said after they made it half-way down the street. "I did not purchase you."_

_"What?"_

_"The coins were fake, an illusion."_

_Giotto laughed and threw an arm around the teenager's shoulders – the boy appeared to be in shock._

_He then lowered his voice and gave Lampo the validation he sorely needed._

Reborn had Lambo use the bazooka and a fifteen year old stood before them.

He looked every bit Lampo did when they first met him.

The older Lambo looked over their small group before resting his eyes on Giotto a sad smile on his face.

"Remember what you taught me, fratello, _please_," his tone was level but his eyes were pleading.

Soon after a 35 year old Lampo stood victorious over the Varia's Lightening Guardian Leviathan, but instead of a look of accomplishment, tears raced silently down his cheeks.

Giotto met his eyes from across the roof.

_"Family has no price."_

**…**

It was the night of the Rain battle and Alaudi met Giotto outside his house and followed him to the school.

Giotto had always wondered if Alaudi's senses were in any way related to Giotto's intuition or if he was just incredibly nosey.

Giotto honestly didn't know how well Yamamoto would fare against a master swordsman and that was his biggest hang-up regarding the battle. His family was already injured worse than he had anticipated – though he knew, he just _knew_, that they would prosper.

In the end, Yamamoto was victorious. He both won the ring and saved Squalo's life.

Yamamoto ignored Gokudera's mothering and stood with his back straight looking down at Giotto his face blank.

"I already have a sword."

Giotto sucked in a breath and Alaudi moved closer.

There was a pause, "And it will always belong to you."

Asari fell into Giotto's open arms.

"Welcome home." It was Alaudi that spoke.

Giotto could imagine the smile on his tall friend's face.

But then, everything seemed to catch up to him and Asari's limp body sagged against him.

"Alaudi – " Giotto didn't have to say anything more and Alaudi helped support their tall friend.

They were friends, probably best friends – despite their tremulous beginnings. Giotto had never understood it in principle but watching them fight together or even just spar made it unnecessary. He and Knuckle had talked about it once and Knuckle's greatest input was that a common goal brought people together in unexpected manners. Giotto wouldn't lie and say that didn't make him incredibly happy – because it did, it really did. His greatest source of pride had always been his family coming together.

Giotto, though, wasn't sure how to feel about Asari's reappearance. All he knew, was that there were greater forces at place and it would be naïve of him to assume they could avoid what ever fate awaited them.

He was still overjoyed to have him back. Asari had always been his left hand and the thought made him wish for G something fierce. He had gotten better at looking at Gokudera and not replacing his image with one of his dear friend. But they were so, so, similar and it wasn't fair to either of them even if they may eventually be one in the same.

"Every time I wake up here, I'm surprised Knuckle isn't nearby." The trio laughed.

It was midmorning and they were sitting in his hospital room with Giotto on the corner of the bed and Alaudi on a chair.

"How long have you known?" Asari asked.

"Not as long as Alaudi has, just since Mukuro."

"Do you know what triggered it?"

"We've been talking about it for a while now, and I believe it has to do with strong memory associations.

"I remembered the first time I entered Hyper Dying Will. Alaudi's trigger was me."

Asari smiled a barked a laugh.

Alaudi rolled his eyes.

"Mine was saving Squalo," Asari continued. "It was similar to how we met."

Giotto frowned.

"If you apologize I'll kick you out of my room," Asari's voice was unusually hard.

"But –"

"You have no control over this, Giotto. It is impossible for you to be at fault."

Alaudi nodded once.

"Fine…"

Giotto caught movement out of the side of his eye.

He looked at his family.

They both nodded.

Reborn.

**….**

Reborn was confused. Terribly, _terribly_, confused.

His student was not the same as when he arrived and while he wanted to take credit, even he couldn't change a person's character.

He thinks, no he knows, it started when Tsuna was fighting Mukuro. He hadn't thought much of it then since everyone responds to entering Hyper Dying Will for the first time in different ways, but than that Hibari boy.

That Hibari boy.

Him and Tsuna.

Their relationship did more than just a 180 after Mukuro and the next thing he knows he's grown accustomed to the kid climbing through Tsuna's window at any given hour.

Then, there was the Lightening Battle and – while Lambo's casual use of Italian could be explained – his message was perplexing. Even more so, was his student's reaction.

At what point had Tsunayoshi said something so pivotal to Lambo that the five year old would remember it for at least ten years?

Reborn knew the answer to that. He hadn't.

And then there were the languages.

He had once thought he heard Tsuna mutter something to the Hibari boy in French of all things but had brushed it off as him mishearing.

But then, Dino had asked him. _How many languages does Tsuna speak?_

Tsuna spoke French.

Tsuna did not speak French when Reborn arrived and he definitely hadn't taught him.

Hell, Tsuna could barely master the _basic_ English he needed for school.

_English_.

Reborn stood outside the door to Yamamoto's hospital room. His plan had been to talk to him about the ring battle but what he heard within the room was enough to make him stop.

Something had changed the night of the ring battle. Something between Tsuna, Yamamoto, and the Hibari boy.

Reborn had heard him. Heard Yamamoto pledge his sword to his student like some sort of Samurai. His student who, just a few months prior, was scared of his own shadow.

And the way he had said it.

Yamamoto spoke as naturally as if he had been asking a question in class. It could have been as a result of their meeting on the roof top and he would have liked leave it at that. But, he knew there was more to it and it irritated him that he didn't know.

And the worst part.

The worst part is Yamamoto called his student Giotto. Yamamoto, a Japanese civilian kid, who shouldn't even know that name much less use it for his student.

He wanted to believe he misheard.

Standing outside the door, he heard the kids talking about memories and events triggering memories.

And if the conversation wasn't bizarre enough, it was spoken in fluent Italian and both his student and the Hibari boy had perfect accents – something told him that Yamamoto's difference was not from lack of skill but from lack of practice.

Reborn couldn't figure out what the hell was going on.

He left knowing his student hadn't seen him.

**….**

Giotto had been freshly kicked from Asari's hospital room.

On his way down the hallway, he gave into old habits and snuck a glance into Ryohei's room assuming him asleep.

"Sawada?" his voice was quieter than normal.

"Ah, Onii-san… I was just checking on you," Giotto entered the room slowly. After all, he wasn't very familiar with the elder Sasagawa. The most he knew was that he was in love with boxing and that he, for some reason, chose to fight for someone he barely knew.

"I didn't believe him when he told me, but you've been different lately."

"Sasagawa-san?" Giotto stepped back.

"Now, I'm just pissed he didn't tell me sooner," his teeth and fists were clenched.

They both knew why Alaudi didn't tell him sooner.

Knuckle barked a familiar laugh tinged by youth, "Remember when he refused to speak Italian for two years?"

Giotto sighed with a smile, "It was only 14 months, but yes. He doesn't seem to find fault in my French now, fortunately."

There was a lapse in conversation were only the faint sounds of cars below could be heard.

"In elementary school, Kyoko and I were attacked by some middle schoolers on the way home from school.

"I fought them off, but I was not in control of my strength.

"Alaudi found us and took us home."

"I see."

Giotto wondered if anything could surprise him anymore.

Alaudi should have told him, probably, but Giotto would give him a pass this once.

He knew now and sometimes people were allowed to be selfish.

But Knuckle wasn't like that.

Knuckle was the most giving person he knew.

If you asked Giotto about Knuckle, he would say he didn't understand his life decisions but supported him nonetheless.

_It was about six months after the accident when Daemon appeared bearing a report regarding a powerful fighter and encouraged Giotto to recruit him – Giotto protested that he was looking for family not an army._

_What he found, was not what he expected._

_He found the man drunk –in a way that only alcoholics can manage – and on the stoop of a bar he had been thrown from._

_So, Giotto being who he was, motioned for G to stand back and sat next to the man._

_"My brother says you're a formidable adversary, Knuckle."_

_He grunted, "Don't call me that."_

_"Alright, then what should I call you?"_

_"Santiago."_

_"Well then, Santiago, how does a man like me meet a man like you in a place like this?"_

_"Who the hell 're you?"_

_"Giotto di Vongola," he paused._

_"Is that supposed ta mean somethin' to me?"_

_Giotto looked at him for a moment, "No, I suppose it wouldn't. My apologies, that was presumptuous of me._

_"But the question remains, how does a man like you end up on the stair of a dingy bar, drunk before noon."_

_The man clenched his fists, refusing to meet Giotto's eyes._

_"It was supposed ta be fun._

_"He was strong._

_"But I was stronger._

_"Much _much_ stronger._

_He looked at Giotto, "I don't know who you are, Vongola, but I killed a man and the crowd was the loudest I'd ever heard."_

_They watched each other for a moment and Giotto's intuition _sang_. _

_"A man like you is made for more than growing strong for the sake of strength. _

_"A man like you is meant to protect."_

_He scoffed, "A man like me isn't meant for anythin' more than what's been handed ta him."_

_"A man like you just needs something to believe in."_

_"What am I supposed ta believe in? You?"_

_He shook his head, "We just met. No, you need to believe in you."_

_The church bell rang out twelve in the distance._

_"Bullshit," the man stood and turned his back walking away without giving Giotto a backwards glance._

_"He's a lost cause, boss," G stated matter-of-factly as he approached his friend._

_ "No, he's not. He'll find himself, then he'll find us."_

_The pair watched the man stumble down the road only to collapse before a churchyard._

_Giotto gave him an incredulous look then shrugged, "Whatever you say."_

_The next time they met the man was clean and wearing a cassock, his fists wrapped._

_"Call me Knuckle."_

**….**

They were sitting in a quiet booth in the corner of Take-Sushi – the location chosen solely based on the fact that Reborn wouldn't follow them there.

When Giotto had asked, Asari had given him a real smile and agreed.

"We need to talk," was the first thing said after a long silence. "About the future," he continued.

Knuckle, Asari, and Alaudi sat with him in a booth at the back of Take-Sushi.

"Things are different now, times are different. We don't have to go back to how we were." Giotto began gesturing with a small swoop of his hand.

Asari actually frowned.

"Are you suggesting we hand over the rings?"

"No, I'm suggesting that maybe we're here to fix what we started.

"I thought Ricardo had a strong enough hand to lead our family into a better future.

"But, Reborn has shown me the pictures and told me the stories.

"And I know now that I was terribly wrong."

"You_ are_ wrong Giotto."

Giotto new he probably deserved it, but Knuckles tone was still startling.

Alaudi shook his head slightly and looked Giotto in the eye.

"We all knew what kind of man Ricardo was and we all made the decision to cede power to him.

"We were all wrong."

**….**

**….**

Reborn was missing.

It started with Lambo hitting him with the bazooka.

Then came the realization that Reborn didn't exist ten years into the future.

This was unexpectedly distressing.

Giotto waited and waited.

Reborn never reappeared.

Something was wrong.

Which lead to Giotto trying to reason with a five year old child.

"Lambo, may I look at your bazooka? I think it may be broken."

"Lambo doesn't know about any bazooka." Lampo had always been a bit of a brat, but Giotto truly hoped that he wasn't as bad as Lambo when he was a child.

"Please, Lambo," Giotto tried to coax. Mentioning that it involved Reborn would be a sure way to lose – Reborn was unnecessarily harsh with the child, something Giotto couldn't understand.

Lambo ignored him completely.

Giotto sighed.

"I'll let the girls take you out for cake if you let me look at it." As a rule, Giotto didn't believe in bribery but that didn't mean he was above it – after all law enforcement could be… _finicky._

It did the trick and the bazooka was in his hands.

"Thank you, Lambo."

Giotto looked over the bazooka and was hit with the stark realization that he hadn't the faintest idea how it worked.

He ran his hands over the metal looking for loose parts – they could cause problems, right?

Giotto wished he had G.

And then he was on his back in the dark.

He pushed his hands out and was met with a walls. Was he in a box?

He was trapped in the dark and it smelled like roses.

Giotto gave a push and the top moved. He slid what he now knew was a lid and sat up.

"Giotto!"

It was G. G was standing over him and Giotto was sitting in a coffin.

He was in a coffin.

A _coffin_.

Dread pooled in the pit of his stomach.

He took G's outstretched hand and then was promptly wrapped in a hug.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We _failed_ you, boss," G cried.

Giotto hadn't seen him this emotional since –

Since –

"G… What happened?" Giotto asked stepping from the coffin.

G just shook his head and attempted to harden his face – he knew it was in vain, Giotto had always been able to read him.

"Listen to me, Giotto." G suddenly pushed him out to arms-length. "Irie Souchi. When you return to the past you have to promise me you'll take him out."

"G, what happened?"

G opened his mouth.

And was replaced by a young Gokudera.

**….**

They were attacked by a woman named Lal Mirch – who, he would later learn, was an Arcobaleno but only half. Giotto had absolutely no idea how that worked and promptly decided it was none of his business.

Lal had attacked them – no tested _him_ – and Giotto actually had to induce Hyper Dying Will without a supplement. A feat he had been capable of since his first life as Knuckle had invented them only several months before Giotto fled to Japan – it was fleeing, Giotto couldn't handle the empire he created so he ran – and even then they were only for Ricardo and his Guardians.

Despite Gokudera's complaints, Giotto decided to obey her order to wrap their rings and then proceeded to follow her into deeper into the woods.

After setting up camp, the news was broken.

"I'm a member of CEDEF, "she began. "I was sent out here to confirm the status of the tenth generation.

"Two days ago, the main base fell.

"There were no survivors and the Ninth is missing."

Gokudera looked outraged.

"Who?" Giotto's voice tread the fine line between fury and despair.

Lal blinked looking slightly taken aback by his intensity.

"The Millifiore Famiglia. Their don's a man called Byakuran."

Giotto knew, he _knew_, she was telling the truth and he listened with half an ear as she explained the importance – how critical it was to have – of the rings. All of the rings, not just Giotto's.

There was movement in the forest and Giotto jumped to his feet the same time Lal's beacon went off.

"Attaco Di Squalo."

**….**

"Asari," Giotto breathed infinitely relieved. Having heard him, Gokudera gave him an odd look.

Asari smiled down at him sadly, "You're looking well, Giot-"

"Can you lead us to the base, _Yamamoto-kun_," Giotto stressed cutting him off.

Unperturbed, Asari just hummed an affirmative and turned on his heel.

The base.

The base was… different from the mansion.

Very advanced and very _underground_.

"Who built this monstrosity?" Giotto asked ignoring Lal's glare.

Asari laughed, "You did."

Giotto was disgusted.

He had always preferred… ah… the _finer_ things. Be it clothes, wine, or, in this case, his base.

His base. The mansion he fortified to be impenetrable. His madre's family home had fallen.

"I promise it was a necessary evil, boss," Asari attempted to sooth after seemingly reading his thoughts.

Asari lead them deeper underground as Giotto grumbled under his breath.

And then Lal lost consciousness. Apparently it was her body adjusting to the atmosphere – the protections – on the base.

**….**

Reborn was alive and Vongola had all but fallen.

They had been chased back to Namimori, of all places, to hide.

His family wasn't made of cowards.

"You bastard."

Giotto watched Asari allow himself to be hit.

"What have you been doing?!" Gokudera raged.

"I'm sorry," Asari wouldn't look at him, but Giotto knew who the apology was meant for.

Giotto could hear Reborn placating Gokedera but he couldn't keep his eyes off the man before him.

"It wasn't your fault," he murmured.

Asari's head snapped up.

"I know how it feels," he continued in a low voice.

"Boss…"

"Please, try not to blame yourself."

Asari looked like he wanted to say something more but Reborn stole his chance.

"Are the remaining Guardians confirmed dead?" he asked. Giotto was filled with a bone deep chill at the thought of his family being lost.

"They're alive."

"Then we only have one option."

They would reunite the family.

** ...**

It started with them going to find Alaudi – Asari knew where he probably was.

There was another battle. Their second in so many days. It was nostalgic. Giotto hated it.

Now, they had to deal with two untrained civilians and a pair of children.

The only, kind of, good thing that came out of it was that his Asari had appeared.

Oh, and Gokudera got a tacky new weapon. G had always had terrible sense for aesthetics – something Giotto had never been able to rectify – and apparently it transcended time itself.

It was two days later that they found the grown Alaudi.

Asari and Gokudera – who were both severely injured – were transported to Alaudi's secret _underground_ base at Namimori shrine.

Another underground base, the future had truly devolved.

Giotto wanted to go home.

After checking on his friends, Giotto followed Alaudi down the hallway and into spartanly furnished room.

He sat across from Alaudi at a metal table.

The man had faint circles beneath his eye but nothing else seemed out of place.

"You were gunned down during your attempt to arrange a truce with Millifiore." He spoke in monotone.

Giotto's eyes widened minutely not expecting the statement.

"Without the rings and without you, we lost our chance at ending the war and the Millifiore began to actively hunt us.

"It was your decisions that lead to you being sent here."

"What happened to you?" Giotto reached across the table and covered Alaudi's hand with his.

"Without you, we scattered. We blamed ourselves and each other."

**….**

It was supposed to be training.

He was sparring with Alaudi, but it wasn't sparring.

It was fighting.

Alaudi was angry.

Alaudi was angry in a way he had never seen before.

Giotto knew why and he also knew there was nothing he could do to make it better.

As he dodged and deflected, Giotto wondered if his body was strong enough to defend against Alaudi in his prime.

"You're stronger than this!"

And then, he was trapped.

"You will not get out with flames and strength alone.

"If you don't get out soon, you will suffocate."

He had to get out. He had to protect his family. He had to fix the mess that his future self caused.

The emblems on his gloves began to glow.

**….**

"The past sins of Vongola.

"Murder, revenge, and an unquenchable thirst for power.

"This is what our Familgia has become."

The ghostly figure of Ricardo was surrounded by who he could only assume were past dons.

"This is what we allowed it to become."

Giotto frowned.

"You, Giotto, once again hold the original Sky ring.

"Will you accept your Famiglia as it is now?

"Or will you let us go?"

Giotto released a breath than offered a small smile.

"Ricardo, do you even have to ask?

"Vongola will always be my family,

"And I never give up on family."

He blinked and suddenly he could see the successors of his family clearly with Ricardo shining brightly at the head. He could feel the fabric of his favorite suit and the weight of his mantel hanging from his shoulders.

He walked up to Ricardo now able to look him in the eye.

"It was inevitable, Ricardo.

"We were unprepared for the power we gained and couldn't hope to control it.

"It is not your fault."

Ricardo nodded once than stepped away and bowed slightly – a surprisingly humble move for the prideful man.

There was a throne before him done in gold and marked with the Vongola crest that had been passed down to Giotto from his madre. Though her brethren held no power, it was Giotto's symbol of family and Giotto had always been serious when he considered his people his family.

Giotto eyed the throne critically.

At one point, he would have walked away from the ostentatious thing. At one point, he would be unable to accept the power he held over those around him.

But he understood now.

His power wasn't to control and it never had been.

His power was to protect and it always had been.

Giotto sat and faced his successors.

**….**

He fell to the ground in a crouch his eyes ablaze. The shape of his gloves altered slightly to match how they once were.

"Alaudi!" he called out his voice firm. Giotto knew Reborn would raise an eyebrow but, Alaudi was family and more than family and Giotto knew his own place. When his family was hurting, it was his job to sooth the wound no matter the cause.

"You're starting to resemble who you were."

And then, he attacked.

Giotto could feel his flames pulsing through his body, taunting him with power he was yet to access.

With each attack, Alaudi's anger dimmed.

But, he wasn't content like he would be during a friendly spar.

Even as he backed down, he was unhappy.

Giotto held out his hand for help up and Alaudi had looked at it for several moments before grasping his forearm and pulling him from the ground. Even though he was standing, Giotto didn't let go.

At nearly halfway across the training room, they were just out of earshot from Lal and Reborn.

"Halfway across the world," he began, "we should have been safe."

Alaudi stiffened.

"We were not longer associated with the Famiglia." Giotto's chuckle was sardonic. "I should have known better.

"Knuckle was back in Italy and I've never had Sun Flames.

"We were in the kitchen and you were wearing a yukata.

"The last thing I ever said to you was that it suited you."

Alaudi tightened his grip.

"I knew I couldn't move fast enough.

"But you did.

"I watched you bleed out in front of me.

"And then you asked if I was alright.

"You were dying and your only concern was me, Alaudi."

"Giotto…"

"I have never stopped blaming myself and the nightmares have yet to stop. But, each passing day, I'm coming to accept that I'm not at fault."

Alaudi loosened his grip then gently squeezed Giotto's arm.

"I understand."

Giotto knew he didn't, not yet, but, hopefully, someday he would.

**….**

That night, Reborn followed him to his room.

Giotto ran a rough hand through his hair, "What are we doing here, Reborn?

"I mean, how could I have let it get to this point?"

"It wasn't you Dame-Tsuna. You're here to fix the mistakes of this time. Nothing more."

"I am my past and my future. The me of now is only the middle of a life."

"And what do you think you know about life, Dame-Tsuna?"

"I know that if things aren't finished, that if things are left to rot, they will fester and boil until they become something I can't recognize.

"Someone once told me that it's impossible to move forward without accepting what's behind and what will become.

"And, Reborn, I finally think I'm ready."

**...**

He had never been one for plans, preferring to work things out as he went along. However, he had no qualms following plans that made sense and were made by people smarter than himself.

The plan to attack a Millifiore base was a terrible one but Giotto didn't have any better ideas and had thus fully committed himself to the mission.

So, needless to say, he was a bit ticked that they were attacking a day early – even if it was because their own base was taken over.

His first thought when entering the Millifiore base was that it was much larger than expected. That thought was followed by slight panic when it occurred to him that the base would have to be able to accommodate its army – because if they were as big as Giotto assumed, it was more than just a Famiglia.

Giotto's second thought was that it was excessively advanced. Sure, he had grown up a second time in a world of technology but even that baffled him somedays. The level that the base was at was beyond his comprehension. Not only did he find it unnecessary, it lacked the finesse of an intricately designed floorplan and the class of elegantly styled decorations. The base relied too heavily on technology and, while that was all fine and good, Giotto thought it lacked ingenuity.

What was the worst part, in Giotto's opinion, was that everyone wanted to fight them – which was expected – and that every single person they encountered used Flames. He missed the times where he didn't have to develop devastating techniques, where people fought with fists and kicks. During his first life Flames were a rarity and even the Famiglias known to have Flames couldn't boast that all their members were actually Flame Active.

The future was making him whiney, he realized absently as the group navigated another set of traps – how to the people who live there get around? But the future was a bit much and he hadn't actually had time to process anything. The only relief he ever got from his racing thoughts was when Asari would discretely sooth Giotto with his Flames – but once that wore off it was back to square one.

He wanted to go back to the past, either past.

No, that wasn't right.

He wanted to go back to the past where his family was alive and well and happy.

Knuckle kept shooting him glances out of the corner of his eye. Giotto wished they had more opportunity to talk before the mess they were in. Knuckle had always been their emotions guy, as Asari had once called him – he was extremely good at reading people and was always willing to listen. Giotto wondered if he was looking at him because he died or because he was concerned or both.

**…**

Despite his distaste in having to learn the flashy technique, Giotto couldn't argue the fact they were effective. The robots flew towards him and Giotto felt he was holding them back rather successfully even if it resembled one of Gokudera's sci-fi flics.

He was doing well. That is, until he knocked himself out and was captured and woke up chained to a bed.

Now, this was most definitely _not_ the first time Giotto had found himself handcuffed to a bed and he doubted it would be the last. What was surprising was one, that he wasn't dead, and two, that his capture was blond and adorable – in a geeky sort of way.

Spanner was his name. And honestly, he shouldn't have expected anything less.

So, handcuffs he could deal with, being stripped to his boxers he could deal with, surprisingly adorable captor he could deal with, gun pressed to his head he could deal with. What he didn't _want_ to deal with was the fact that he was damp and underground was _cold_.

"Ah. Is the offer for tea still on the table?" Giotto made a gesture of surrender.

Spanner looked at him blankly before laughing and setting the gun down.

"You're exactly how they say you are, Vongola." He handed over the steaming mug.

Giotto took a sip.

"What? Devilishly handsome?" Giotto grinned.

"Reckless." Spanner deadpanned.

Giotto just shrugged.

**….**

Yeah, so. Spanner was geeky cute but he was also an otaku. So while, Giotto appreciated the unsolicited help on something he knew little about by someone who obviously knew a lot, he could do without the post-possession Elena creep factor.

Elena not Mukuro.

Mukuro was creepy weird in that special way of his, but Elena had always been levelheaded and kind. She had been calm and kind and steadfast. And that was exactly why it was freaky when she came back to her body after a possession.

She would mutter and mumble. She would skip over her words and trip over her feet.

And she would _leer _at Daemon.

She became a completely different person and each time he asked it of her, he wished he hadn't.

But now, Giotto really just wanted his own clothes back.

Spanner was significantly taller than him and even though Giotto prayed every day for his growth spurt to come a year earlier, he was yet to grow. Sometimes he feared he would never grow, that he would be eternally short and G's spirit would mock him forever. Not that he had been taller than G since they were children but he hadn't been _this_ much shorter.

Giotto poured himself another cup of tea and waited for Spanner to decide to interact with him.

And then the room was shaking and Giotto spilled tea down his front and ended up with his gloves on his hands.

"Go on then. Go into Hyper Mode," Spanner urged. "You're trying to escape, right?

"When, if, you escape, you're not strong enough. They'll kill you."

Giotto opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a reassuringly familiar squeaky voice.

**….**

_"If you lose, Tsunayoshi, your family will never return home."_

**….**

He was fighting monsters.

Monsters commanded by a scantily clad woman.

His life was turning into a manga and Giotto was utterly powerless in the face of it.

And it only got worse.

The monsters were the product of human experimentation.

Like Mukuro.

He just had to hold them off until Spanner finished the contacts.

By intuition Giotto was holding them at bay.

And it was by his intuition that he had stayed alive throughout both his lives.

His intuition that was all he had left of his madre, of his heritage.

There was only one thing he trusted more than his intuition – and it wasn't even a thing.

**….**

Apparently, Death was Gingerbread's master.

This Giotto most definitely did not understand.

As a boy, his madre had occasionally taken him to Sunday mass and they celebrated Easter and Christmas but by no means were they devote Catholics.

However, Giotto himself – as were most men during that time – was a god fearing man.

And even though in his current life he was loosely raised Shinto, some thoughts were ingrained.

So, Giotto couldn't really process the whole "Death as a master" thing and was inclined to disbelieve it, but the future was nothing if not bizarre and Giotto had known Daemon and Elena and Gingerbread fought like a demon.

While he was dodging and feigning he sensed something hurtling towards him and caught it without a second thought.

It was the hardest thing he had ever done.

Almost as hard as the one time he had to bust G out of a carabinieri station when they were sixteen.

And he didn't know how he did it.

But, Giotto – in the midst of a battle in which he was both outnumbered and outmatched – managed to put in contacts.

Slowly – for everything was slow in Hyper Dying Will Mode – he lined the arrows in the center of the lenses and _breathed_.

**...**

Alaudi was fighting.

More specifically, Giotto's Alaudi was fighting.

This is not what caused his haste.

That would be that Alaudi was fighting in the future without any information.

There was only one place that Alaudi was more effective than in a fight, but he still worried.

He had seen him fall and he nothing of his opponent.

The Phantom Knight.

The man Alaudi was said to have been fighting.

Giotto did not see Alaudi.

He adamantly refused to assume the worst.

But, sometimes, his intuition was overrun by his emotions.

"The other Guardians, you mean. They should be turning into dust."

Logically, Giotto knew his family was fine.

He _knew._

But that didn't stop the rage and the fear from consuming him or the scream to stall in his throat.

"You're really just a kid."

There was never an alternative thought.

Giotto fought.

It was all he could do.

**….**

Zero Point Breakthrough was developed entirely on accident.

If asked Giotto would remain elusive and G was sworn to secrecy.

It was an August two years after he met Simon – to the date.

Now, Zero Point Breakthrough – to be explained in layman's terms – was a physical manifestation of condensed Flame.

He and Simon had been discussing the possibility of condensed Sky Flame – much like was possible with other Flames.

So, with a tumbler in one hand and a glove on the other Giotto focused.

And proceeded to encase his hand in what appeared to be hot ice.

The resulting scream lead to G bursting into the study in a full panic.

Simon found his plight hilarious and refused to help free Giotto's hand.

Fortunately, G – ever the thinker – managed to disintegrate the trap and free Giotto.

And then demanded an explanation.

But – regardless of its origins – it was nothing if not bloody useful once mastered.

Or, at least, it usually was.

Obviously, exceptions had to be made when his advisory grew stronger the longer the fight persisted.

However, ever since the Phantom Knight activated his ring, his movements became more frantic despite the increase in strength.

"Your strength means nothing if you lose your cool."

**….**

How _dare _he.

To use the faces of his family against him.

How _dare _he.

"They're just illusions!" someone shouted.

He knew that.

Of course he did.

He knew his family's Flames better than he knew himself.

And no matter how impressive the illusion, that was something that could never truly be replicated.

But their faces.

He couldn't linger on the thought.

He was Giotto di Vongola and no one, _no one_, could get away with _defamation._

_Zero Point Breakthrough First Edition._

With the forced halt of the illusions, Giotto took his stance and once again activated X Burner.

Stronger.

_Stronger._

The contacts burned and his vision blurred.

And then.

Shoichi Irie stood before him, the round machine to his back.

"Be careful how you move, Vongola. Their lives are in your hands."

Giotto narrowed his eyes.

He could feel his family to his left but by no means would he take his eye off an enemy that G himself warned him of.

"I've put them to sleep and I can easily make it permanent."

Giotto grit his teeth.

"What's the machine?" his voice bellied calm he did not feel.

Shoichi eyed him for a moment.

"Inside this machine are those you replaced.

"That is,

"The _you_ of this time.

"To be more specific, their bodies were broken down to the molecular level and stored."

"Why?" Giotto's voice was oddly pitched.

"Simple, in order to rebuild this world, Byakuran needs the Vongola rings."

Giotto took a step forward.

"Remember what I said, Vongola," Shoichi warned then dropped his voice.

"There are worse things I can do to your family, Tsunayoshi.

"Or should I say _Giotto_?"

"What are you playing at?"

"Byakuran covets the Trinisette and he will have them.

"The Arcobaleno who sacrificed themselves can attest to this."

**….**

"God, I'm so nervous.

"I've been waiting for you, Vongola family."

To say Giotto was confused would be an understatement.

Shoichi Irie was an ally?

It made sense, in a way, he knew Giotto's true identity and he doubted he would have changed so drastically in the future he would give the information to just anyone.

"I've pulled the strings that lead to our meeting.

"You needed to become stronger. Strong enough to defeat the true enemy."

"Don't listen to him! He's the enemy!" Gokudera bellowed.

"Why did you bring the kids and the girls here?

"They have nothing to do with this."

"You've always been stronger when you have something to protect."

"Besides, it couldn't be helped.

"It was your idea after all. Well, the you of this time."

"My idea?"

"The plan was between your future counterpart, Hibari Kyouya, and myself."

Giotto paused for a moment.

"If that's the case, then why have you been assisting Byakuran?"

"Because the only way to seal his power is in this time."

**….**

"It's too early to celebrate, Vongola. This is just a break.

"You have been most entertaining."

With as infamous as Byakuran's power and influence were, Giotto couldn't count himself surprised that he had them figured out – that he very well could have known from the start.

So, no, surprise was not at the forefront of his mind.

That spot was taken by pure unadulterated humiliation.

They should have known better.

He should have _known._

And now their enemy knew the limits of their abilities.

"Now, we will meet head on in a test of strength with the Trinisette at stake."

Giotto's eyes darted across the room to find Asari and Alaudi with clenched teeth and white knuckles.

Asari met his eyes and frowned deeply, shaking his head once.

_This isn't your fault_.

As Byakuran continued to speak, dread continued to pool in the bottom of Giotto's stomach as his intuition sang vaguely.

And the scenes he showed them.

Of the horror wrought upon the world at the hands of his true inner circle.

It wasn't the first time Giotto had witnessed such horror.

As he watched he no longer saw Byakuran's people.

_His madre had warned him and – as screams bombarded his ears and all-consuming flames devastated his surroundings – he should have listened._

_He was a town over and flames fell around him._

_But, his madre also told him to follow his intuition. _

_He was thirteen and racing into a burning home the door frame collapsing behind him._

_"Help!_

_"Help me!"_

_The voice was hoarse and the smoke was heavy._

_With his sleeve covering his mouth, he shouted louder than he knew he could._

_"I'm coming!_

_"Where are you?!"_

_Giotto found the pink haired boy– G would always argue it was red but Giotto disagreed – in what was once a kitchen._

_His intuition positively sang._

_He found him._

_But, they were stuck._

_The boy was barely breathing – _

A hand pressed between his shoulder blades and the familiarity of Rain Flames.

"He survived, Giotto," Asari murmured. "You saved him."

Giotto released a breath and nodded minutely.

**….**

The base was destroyed and Shoichi opened the machine.

Giotto really, _really_ didn't understand how them receiving their future counterpart's box weapons wasn't magic.

And he really didn't understand why no one else was bothered by the situation.

But Giotto was nothing if not quick on his feet – well, sometimes – so he did the first thing that came to mind.

"Irie Shoichi!" he pointed at the man.

Gitto bit back a smile when he jumped to attention.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to join our family?"

"Juudaime?!"

"Why?"

Deciding to not tell him that it was because it seemed like good idea, Giotto thought for a moment and then proceeded to say it anyway.

"Why not?

"You have nowhere else to go. Besides, unless I'm wrong, all your actions were for our direct benefit and I don't believe I'm wrong." _I'm trusting you._

Shoichi waved his hands frantically, "No, no. I would never betray your future self.

"Or well, you now."

He looked down at Giotto with an odd expression.

"What is it?"

"It's just, somethings never change, Vongola."

Giotto was filled the sense that Reborn was proud of him and he wasn't sure why that was or how to process the emotions that came with that realization. So, he promptly ignored them and agreed to hire Spanner.

**….**

It was only hours after Giotto's group was reunited that he finally had the opportunity to speak with his Sun.

Giotto entered the kitchen where Knuckle was at the sink.

"Were you there?"

Knuckle slowly turned the water off.

"I should have been," his voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Was G there?" Giotto asked.

Knuckle's head rose slightly in recognition of Giotto's move.

"G, Asari, and Alaudi.

"You sent me with a message to Varia."

He turned the water back on and picked up a plate.

"You were trying to arrange a truce fire.

"I didn't even make it to their headquarters when G sent out the message."

He turned abruptly flinging water across the counter.

"I could have healed you, Giotto!"

"Knuckle…"

_Remember what you taught me, fratello._

"It's the second time I couldn't save you.

"…and I know I could have."

Tears slowly fell from the normally exuberant man.

Giotto strode forward until he had to crane his neck to see his guardian's face.

"I have never wanted any of you to suffer.

"I can't apologize for my future-self's selfishness, but I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to _end_ Byakuran."

When Knuckle wraps his arms around him and sobs, a part of Giotto wonders what he would say if someone walked in – but a larger part of him fears the desperation at the root of their future counterpart's actions.

The next morning showed Knuckle and Giotto's Knuckle switched in the night.

**….**

_Choice._

_Choice is not a game._

_Choice is war._

_Soldiers are split into two units and a battle unit will be made of soldiers of your choice._

_You then have a choice of battlefield and a base is established._

_The winner is rewarded one thing from the other's possessions._

It was as they were headed to battle that Giotto really felt he finally made any sort of connection with Bianchi.

She – and the girls – made them suits.

Suits!

She said it was the duty of a Famiglia to fight in style. Or, at least, that's what Giotto took from it.

Regardless, he agreed with the sentiment wholeheartedly and wasn't the least bit ashamed when Knuckle gave him a knowing look.

The glee was short lived.

And then, Giotto was pissed.

Not because Asai and Alaudi were yet to present themselves but because Byakuran was the biggest dick he had ever encountered and he lived with Daemon for _years._

Who the hell held a battle in high rise city?

**….**

He could feel it, Giotto could feel the familiar rush of cool reason course through his veins. This was him. _This _was Giotto di Vongola.

"You can't beat me just by changing your look."

Giotto chuckled, "Who said it was just my appearance."

Giotto had never been quick to fight – well, mostly – but he felt truly himself for the first time in a long time and Byakuran needed. To. Go. Down.

From where she floated, Yuni released a blinding wave of flames very rudely interrupting the battle.

She was really going to do it, wasn't she?

She was going to sacrifice herself just so they could go home.

Giotto had always been too much of a coward for such grand action. His idea of sacrifice was hopping on a boat for six thousand miles to be smuggled into a country whose language he was only minutely aware of. The sacrifice of smashing the china in his empire and slamming the door with no promise of return.

And yet, here was this girl, this _child_ willing to give up her entire existence so they could live free.

He knew nothing of sacrifice but watching one by one as his family fell before his eyes until he could stand it no longer. Standing side by side watching the waves roll until he stepped off that boat.

Giotto knew nothing of sacrifice, but he knew everything of death.

**...**

"What. Have. you done?" Byakuran screeched crazed blood pouring down his face.

"You. Killed. The final piece to my puzzle!

"You've ruined _everything!"_

Byakuran flung his flames outward.

Giotto braced himself for the onset but once it passed he looked at his enemy – broken, and bleeding, and desperate – and made a decision.

He could not be permitted to continue.

It wouldn't be his first time and he knew for fact it wouldn't be his last.

Byakuran took a step.

"**No.**" Giotto _commanded _and the entire arena – for that's what it was – just _stopped._

"Under no circumstance will I allow you to leave this place alive."

He heard someone whisper his name in horror.

"_You're_ not letting _me_ leave here alive?" Byakuran's laugh was hysterical.

Giotto's madre taught him to always look his opponents in the eye.

_X Burner First Edition_

**….**

**...**

"The time has come, Dame-Tsuna."

Reborn dangled a scrawled letter with the Vongola seal in front of his face.

"I wish you wouldn't call me that, Reborn," he grumbled.

"What was that, _Dame-Tsuna?_"

"Nothing, nothing, Reborn."

He snatched the letter reading it as they neared the entrance gates.

Reborn was right – not that he was usually wrong.

His family was back within his reach, so close he could almost taste the red of the wine.

He was _apprehensive_.

No, he was _terrified._

It was time.

Time for the Inheritance Ceremony.

**….**

Giotto hadn't seen Chrome since they returned from the future. Which, unto itself, wasn't an uncommon occurrence but the last time he saw her she sounded so much like – No, that wouldn't make sense. As far as they had determined, their reincarnation was based around the Vongola Rings. And she, she never had one.

But Chrome…

_A feather light touch on his shoulder._

_"Thank you again, _boss_."_

But if it _was_ her than that meant…

_Daemon_.

**….**

Something was amiss.

Transfer students in his class.

A foreigner with cropped white hair and a fur lined – Alaudi was going to throw a fit – uniform entered the class and gave a ridiculous name. _Shitopi-chan_.

She was _familiar._

Gokudera instantly went about mumbling to himself about aliens of some sort – something Giotto found to be incredibly rude.

She met his eyes and jerked her head slightly towards the door.

Giotto's eyes widened significantly and he unconsciously leaned away from the girl.

She practically had a new name every week when he knew her, but that was definitely...

_Louise._

**…..**

_Giotto knocked twice on the door to his madre's study before entering._

_"Giotto! Look who came to visit!" She called from out of sight in lieu of a greeting._

_He raised an eyebrow and crossed the room to the large mahogany desk._

_Peering behind, he found his madre and an odd girl wearing mud stained trousers._

_"Who came to visit?" he asked rounding the desk._

_The desk chair was pushed to the side and his madre and the strange girl sat leaning against the desk looking out the window surrounded by parchment._

_"Come sit down," his madre beckoned and stared him down until he complied._

_He leaned up against the window and sat crossing his legs._

_"And you are?"_

_"This is Louise –"_

_" – for now –" the girl interrupted._

_Giotto raised an eyebrow at her impertinence._

_"It's fine, Giotto._

_"Simon brought her by. He thought she required my company."_

_"And did you?"_

_"Well, it certainly didn't hurt."_

**….**

His chair hit the floor with a definitive clang.

All eyes were on him.

But – Giotto's friends had always been family – but, there were only two men sworn as brothers.

One who face he saw every day and the other –

The other he sent _all_ his guardians to protect.

The other that all was left of was a signet and blood stain.

He had seen Louise, he should have expected it.

He should have known it was coming.

But –

Asari raised the chair and grabbed Giotto's arm _hard_, forcing him into his seat.

Giotto watched transfixed as a heavily bandaged Simon Cozzarto took his seat.

He turned to Louise and she shook her head slowly.

He didn't remember.

Enma Kozarto took his seat.

**….**

Alaudi was _pissed _and Giotto had a possible idea as to why.

As they began the trek home Giotto watched him out of the corner of his eye waiting for him to say _anything._

But, he said nothing even as Giotto pummeled several thugs – and yes, thugs, mere bullies would never go so far.

It pained him more than he could say to see his brother – no not his brother, not this time – so downtrodden, so _defeated._

Simon had been many things of which _cowardly_ was not one.

Giotto knew something was truly, truly, wrong the moment his hand brushed Kozarto-kun's.

The boy jerked his hand back though burned and a talisman of sorts fell slowly to the ground between them.

Their eyes met and for a moment Giotto saw a familiar gleam of curiosity. A gleam that was squashed as soon as it reared its head.

It was almost like –

It was almost like –

It was like losing his brother all over again.

**...**

_"Do you know what their calling your Famiglia?" They sat on the front stoop of Simon's family home._

_"Not all of us are orchestrating a band of vigilantes, Giotto."_

_Giotto just laughed, "They don't see you as _vigilantes_, they see you as Simon's Familgia." _

_Simon rolled his eyes and bumped Giotto's shoulder._

_"It's better this way, Giotto._

_"Cozzarto was my father's name." _

_Giotto was good at a great many things, but his patience was generally un-bested._

_And Simon, Simon was family and for family he would wait an eternity._

_But, an eternity was not all it took with Simon, and it never had._

_"My father taught me how not to be many things, Giotto, and I listened well to every lesson._

_"But it wasn't until you that I was knew what I _could_ be."_

_He leaned back on his hands._

_"I guess you could say all of this is possible because of you, Giotto."_

_Giotto scoffed good-naturedly._

_"You're wrong._

_"I was _you_ who saved Franco and it was _you _who took Madre's crest and made it an icon._

_"So, no, Simon. It's because of you that all this is possible."_

**….**

Giotto and Alaudi lay on their backs in the grass in the Sawada residence's backyard and Alaudi was trying very hard to show that nothing was bothering him.

Giotto knew him better than the back of his own hand – as used to wearing gloves as he was.

"Who?" he asked several names immediately coming to mind.

"Suzuki Adelheid made a pass in his territory." The squeaky reply was unexpected but the information wasn't at all unappreciated.

He turned to Alaudi. "Who?"

Alaudi hummed in displeasure. "_Cancio._"

Oh.

_Oh._

The one woman Alaudi couldn't bear to tolerate.

Sofia. Cancio.

"Suzuki Adelheid, huh?" Was the sky bluer than usual? – he wondered.

Whatever the hell she was calling herself did nothing towards her favor.

If anything, Alaudi would just be even more irritated by the inconsistency.

Personally, Giotto had never had much of an issue with the lady. She was a _bit – a lot – _stiff and practically un-bribe-able but she was the older sister than Simon never had and Giotto respected that.

He respected that quite a bit.

"Shelf your issues with her. The Simon Famiglia will be present during the Inheritance Ceremony."

"Huh."

He supposed it made since what with the history between the Famiglias but he couldn't help but find it odd that they just happened to appear at this moment. Color him what you will but Giotto di Vongola's intuition was unparalleled.

**…**

"Dame-Tsuna."

The room was pitch black.

Giotto groaned and rolled over.

_2:30 am_

"Reborn?"

He was alone in his bed but the warmth of the sheets told him it hadn't been that way for long.

Reborn had specifically waited for the moment and had grabbed it with both of his tiny little hands.

"Who taught you French?" Giotto marveled at the sheer amount of concealed accusation the question held.

He propped himself onto an elbow and rubbed his eyes. He could barely make out the silhouettes of his room but couldn't see _Reborn._

Giotto closed his eyes and flopped back onto his back.

"Dame-Tsuna," Reborn barked. "Who taught you French?"

He sighed loudly and rather rudely – his madre was shaking her head in the afterlife and he knew it.

"Hibari-san likes to believe he taught me."

"But?"

"I've learned that sometimes it's best to let him think what he wants."

"If not him, than who?" He wondered if Reborn was growing impatient but he knew he wasn't. What he didn't know was _why_ he wasn't.

"My madre."

"Nana only speaks Japanese, Tsunayoshi."

"I know, Reborn." Giotto paused for a moment and opened his eyes gazing into the blackness.

He made a decision.

"When I was eight years old a French man came into town and propositioned Madre.

"He slept with her than took off with 3000 lira worth of cutlery.

"So, she defamed him in a public forum."

Giotto felt the end of the bed dip at Reborn's added weight but he said nothing.

"A fortnight later a law man delivered a letter.

"It was in cursive, of course, and in French.

"She said '_It's our name on the address' _and refused to respond until I could read it as well."

Giotto's voice grew softer as he spoke and tears welled in the corners of his eyes.

"And the Hibari boy?"

He laughed weakly, "When I met him, he swore I butchered his _'mother tongue'_. I was, of course offended, but you can't argue with him on matters of country."

"And?"

"And he refused to speak Italian for _fourteen months, _Reborn, and the worst part is, was that he was the only French person that had a problem with it. The _only person_.

"Oh, I knew he was testing me but what was I supposed to, not talk to him?

"How could I not talk to him, Reborn?"

A great sense of relief began to spread from his chest outwards as he spoke. There really was no reason to hide from the man and a large part of him knew him talking – _confessing _– was the reason Reborn broached the topic so early,

"But the worst part, the worst part is that it was _fun_.

"It was fun trying to get him to talk.

"And do you know why?"

There was a pause and he felt Reborn shift towards him.

"Why is that Tsunayoshi?"

Giotto turned on his side and tilted his head slightly – and rather melodramatically – to see the sky.

"I have absolutely no idea, but I'm glad I did."

**….**

"If you lay a hand on her it could jeopardize our relationship with _Simon's _Famiglia."

He knew it was a low blow and almost everyone present knew it too.

Alaudi respected only one man the way he did Giotto and that was the man who introduced them.

**….**

_Giotto sat at his madre's desk – no, it was his desk now – decidedly not working. _

_There was a brief knock on the study door and Giotto quickly picked up a pen. Knocking had always been seen as something of a formality for his family. Even if they bothered to knock, they would still barge right in. If the door wasn't locked it might as well be propped open._

_It bothered him as much as the first four times someone had barged in while he was in the bath – he had tried locking the door but then whoever it was would just pound on it until he answered._

_He had gotten used to the total lack of privacy and often wondered if this was what it was like to have children._

_The door swung open to reveal a grinning Simon Cozzarto._

_And – _

_And the most beautiful man he had ever seen in his entire life._

_"Do you remember when I was picked up in France several weeks ago?"_

_Giotto slowly set his pen down giving his brother his undivided attention._

_"I do, yes."_

_Simon had gone to investigate a rumor regarding the possibility of a man with Earth Flames and had managed to find himself charged with tampering with evidence in attempt to cover his new guardian's hide._

_He had to send both Daemon _and_ Elena to break him out._

_It had been quite a bit of a mess and G had practically gnawed his fingers off in worry – it was a nasty habit and Giotto's madre _had_ managed to break it for a bit but in desperate times…_

_"Whilst there, I met someone _fascinating _that I _must_ introduce to you._"

_The beautiful man stepped forward and Giotto found himself slowly rising._

_The man was tall, taller than he, and was dressed in a deep black._

_Giotto's mouth dried as the man stuck out his hand to shake._

_"Alaudi Battaille. Head of DGSE."_

_Simon brought a secret service member into their base._

_Their base that homed at least eight wanted criminals at any given time._

_Their base that very much operated on a stance of anti-establishment._

_ "Simon –"_

_"There is no need to worry, Giotto. Shake his hand."_

_Hesitant, Giotto reached out his hand._

_Oh._

Oh.

_He could feel the mist of Cloud Flames drifting through the man's grip._

_Giotto looked up from their clasped hands and to the man's eyes._

_"Giotto di Vongola and, I must say, it is a pleasure to meet you."_

_The man – Alaudi – smiled and Giotto's heart skipped a beat._

_"I assure you, the pleasure is mine."_

**….**

There was only one thing that surpassed her love for her Famiglia.

Their meeting wasn't by chance.

After the heartbreaking realization that her Flames weren't compatible with Giotto's, she made it her mission to find someone who could support him in her place.

And, of course, she found him.

Specifically, she found him spying in the French royal courts for the English Crown.

Specifically, she walked in on him shagging a maid – purely for _information _of course.

The maid was kicked out with a couple francs slipped into her hand – purely for her silence of course.

When she met him he wasn't much of a fighter, deception and charm were his fists and his silver tongue opened many a door.

She overpowered him easily despite his height and proceeded to cuff him to the bed frame before sitting firm on his legs.

_"I know a gentleman_," _she began. "That I believe you would like to meet."_

_"Oh? And what kind of gentleman would send a lady to do his bidding?" _

_"A man that sees not sex but potential," she snapped._

_"But, he did not send me. I came of my own volition._

_"The gentleman I follow requires a set. _

_"A set of six that have been blessed with powers greater than mere mortals."_

_"And he wants me, to complete his collection of witches?" he laughed derisively. "I think not." _

_"Subterfuge is how you have remained alive all these years, isn't it?"_

_She placed a hand down on his chest and pressed down._

_"Tell me, is the Princess aware of your survival?"_

_The man below her tensed suddenly and violently._

_"What do you want from me?"_

_"All _I_ want is for you to listen and then for you to make a decision._

_"After all, there are better ways to live than serving a Crown that won't even acknowledge your existence."_

**….**

The roof had cleared leaving only Giotto and Kozarto-kun with Reborn watching from nearby.

Giotto leaned up against the fence next to the child who bore his brother's face.

"My mother once told me," Kozarto-kun started at his voice, "that when faced with uncertainty the best path is always to follow your intuition."

Giotto sighed, noting that Reborn had drawn closer.

"I had a friend when I was younger," he began, "and he used to say that money and power will only get you to a forked path and no further in our world.

"One way leads to further violence and bloodshed and the other to absolute corruption.

"From what Reborn's taught me, Vongola is trapped at that point.

"But you know what, Kozarto-kun?"

"…what?"

"The road isn't a one way street. It'll take time, but we can turn around."

**….**

After several minutes, Kozarto-kun muttered a farewell and skulked back inside.

Giotto slid to the concrete a pressed his palms against his eyes.

"Your friend was a wise man, Tsunayoshi," Reborn's voice was uncharacteristically soft.

"Reborn, am I being punished?"

"You are next in the line of succession, it's happenstance not punishment."

"No, I've accepted that." Giotto shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Why do you think the Sky Arcobaleno are reincarnated?

"They die over and over and keep being forced back.

"Why aren't they allowed to rest?"

Reborn was quiet for a while before speaking in that squeaky voice that belayed nothing of his power.

"…it's the price of power, Tsunayoshi.

"Possessing that kind of power, accepting that kind of power, leaves you with a great debt.

"And there is only so much you can take before the world starts asking for something in return.

"But, you know this, Tsunayoshi.

"It's why you ran away."

Giotto looked at the baby out of the corner of his eyes and chuckled lightly.

"Nothing slips by you, Reborn."

"It's my job to look after you, Dame-Tsuna."

"Oh? I thought it was your job to whip me into shape."

"It was, but that's not what you need.

"A boss needs more than physical strength, you know this."

Giotto released a breath then smirked.

"I really wish you wouldn't call me that."

**….**

Giotto was in his town in his current _home_ and he was sick and tired of being attacked.

Did they honestly think his family would fall if they could manage to take him out?

Over and over they came and he conquered and he just wanted to rest.

School was out and clubs were over and Giotto headed immediately to the boxing club's room.

"Onii-san?" he called out as he opened the door.

The room as empty with the exception of Knuckle who was mopping the floors.

Giotto trudged over and sat on the edge of the boxing ring sighing loudly.

Knuckle stopped and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

After a moment of observation he sat the mop against the wall and rummaged through an equipment trunk withdrawing a pair of mitts.

Giotto wonders – not for the first time – what it meant that Knuckle was the most well-adjusted person he knew.

**….**

She was being followed by that pervert.

She remembered the last time he bothered and Daemon decided to defend her honor.

Honestly, like she wasn't fully capable of defending herself – Giotto said it was because he loved her and she had conceded.

She continued to feel his eyes on her as she made her purchase but before he could follow her home, she disappeared without a trace.

_ "Say I do wish to meet this gentleman of yours, where might I go?"_

_She smiled, "It would be a long journey. Your post would be left unattended for quite some time._

_"One might label you a defector."_

_"One cannot defect from a cause that was never theirs, my lady."_

_"Is this an admission of disloyalty?"_

_"Spoken in good faith, it is a statement of possible loyalty."_

_"Oh, do tell," she laughed softly._

_The man beneath her wore an easy smile contrary to his norm._

_"Well," he began raising his free hand, "this gentleman of yours intrigues me."_

_"Oh?"_

_"A gentleman capable of gaining the undying loyalty of a lady like yourself sounds like one that I –"_

_He stopped and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear._

_"Well, I've never known a lady like yourself._

_"And though I'm aware you know of me already, I would be remiss to forgo a proper introduction."_

_He propped himself up on his elbow and took her hand._

_"Daemon Spade, at your service my lady," his lips pressed against her knuckles ever so gently._

_The soft sigh that escaped her lips was completely involuntary._

_This, _this_, was the man she had been searching for._

_Since the day Giotto put that ring on her finger and she _failed _him, she had been searching._

_And this man, this insufferably suave man, this stain on the Crown, this man who sauntered wearing a cloak of deceit, was the one._

_She felt the weight of the lens hanging from her neck and smiled._

_"You may call me Elena."_

**….**

"Tsunayoshi."

Giotto hummed an acknowledgement throwing himself back onto his bed.

They had just returned from a meeting with the majority of Simon's family and though he knew they would agree to assist in unrequired protection, he didn't know _why._

"Tsunayoshi," Reborn spoke again.

"Yes, Reborn?'

"It would do for you to be weary of the Simon Famiglia.

"They haven't been heard of for centuries and suddenly, here they are. Just in time for the Inheritance Ceremony."

Giotto blinked slowly in thought than released a great breath.

"The friend, I had mentioned.

"We had a common acquaintance who was – well he wasn't as well off as either of us.

"Well, one day we got word that he had gotten in trouble with his employer.

"The man withheld his pay and when our acquaintance demanded it, his employer beat him and kicked him while he was down.

"My friend had known him much longer and when we found him bloody in the street –"

"My friend was a kind and loving man, Reborn. But as soon as those he cared for are harmed or even just threatened, he became something, someone, else…."

"What're you saying?"

Giotto sat up quickly the blood rushing to his head.

"Reborn, what is the written history between Vongola and Si- the Simon Famiglia?"

**….**

He had thought he knew where he stood.

He was Juudaime's Right Hand Man!

But ever since Tsuna woke up in that hospital room, Juudaime wouldn't even look him in the eye.

And then they went to the future and they fought and they _won_ and Tsuna met his eyes and smiled.

But that was all and only once.

Juudaime was different now.

Ever since –

Something changed during their fight with that bastard Mukuro.

His boss was somehow _more_ now.

He wasn't complaining, if anything he respected him in a way he hadn't before.

Yes, he still wanted to protect him but, more than that, he wants to _follow _him.

He wants to walk the path Tsuna will pave into a better future, a better Vongola.

But, he can't.

Because, Tsuna won't look him in the eye.

He won't look him in the eye and Gokudera feels like he's missing something.

_They were studying, just the two of them, and when Gokudera looked up from his books Tsuna was asleep._

_He shook his shoulder lightly, "Juudaime…"_

_Tsuna mumbled something in his sleep._

_"Boss?"_

_"…not now G."_

_Gokudera froze then shook him a bit harder._

_Tsuna's head shot up off the table and swung around to look at Gokudera._

_Eyes wide he blinked owlishly._

_And then his face crumbled._

_"I'm so sorry," his voice was soft._

_"Juudaime? You have nothing to apologize for!"_

_Tsuna seemed to snap out of his daze at his words._

_"Ah, yes, you're right Gokudera-san. You're right."_

_Gokudera watched a light of familiarity – and dare he say love – fade from his boss's eyes and in that moment he felt more alone than he ever had._

**….**

The pervert was leaving them bags of food.

Or rather, leaving _her_ bags of food.

She wonders if he knows who she is or if he's building upon a history of harassing fair maidens.

But his ulterior motives aside, she was grateful.

Before her current circumstance, she had never had want for things. She had never been responsible for providing her own nourishment much less for two teenage boys.

And with Mukuro having disappeared, she had worry on top of unexpected responsibility.

All the boys she had known were very much capable of taking care of themselves _and_ everyone around them. Well, with Giotto as the exception – the man could coax life into a rock but god forbid he remember to feed himself.

She had always found it amusing that the most powerful man she had ever even encountered – and she had encountered many men – couldn't even remember to go to the kitchens for lunch.

But today and only today – and solely for the convenience – she was grateful for the pervert.

**….**

Reborn forcibly evicted the guests in Giotto's room before dropping a stack of photos on the table.

"An allied Famiglia was tasked to take out a Famiglia with plans to interfere with the Inheritance Ceremony."

Giotto flipped through the gruesome photos.

"Well, I would say they succeeded then."

Reborn shook his head once his eyes narrowed.

"No, _Dame-Tsuna_, they were the ones taken out.

"The Flame signature on their bodies was unrecognizable."

"You're showing me this because you think I might know." It wasn't a question.

Giotto breathed out slowly and resisted the urge to brush his hand through his hair.

"As you know, the Trintesette is made of three parts. The Mare rings, the Arcobaleno pacifiers, and the Vongola rings.

"They were created and gifted to us by the Originals.

"But, the Earth has always had its own power."

Reborn stayed silent choosing to wait for an answer instead of pressing further.

"A single family was born with the ability to harness this power.

"So, we helped them bind their abilities to stones to insure the power was never lost.

"But – "

Giotto swallowed hard and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"But, he and his family were massacred and the rings lost."

"Until now."

"Until now.

"My friend had a bit of a reputation of _rehabilitating _lost souls. But the loyalty that gained him was _terrifying,_ Reborn.

"It was against his values to take advantage, but if something were to change, if he were to grow jaded and spiteful, the damage they could cause…"

"The damage is already being done, Tsunayoshi.

"How can we defeat them?"

Giotto looked him dead in the eye, "There is nothing you can do.

"I am the one who has to fix this.

"I believe Kozarto-kun blames me for his ancestor's death.

"But I did everything I could, Reborn. I sent my remaining Guardians to save them and they were still lost.

"I _knew _I should have gone myself, but I was out voted and I ignored my intuition for the first time in my life. It may not be my fault, but it is my responsibility to fix this."

Reborn eyed him critically for a moment.

"You asked my about the written history between the Famiglia's.

"With every new generation the duty of safeguarding the Simon Famiglia's grave is passed down.

"The Vongola knows the truth, Tsunayoshi, and has done everything in their power to protect it.

"The Simon Famiglia is honored and Simon Cozzarto is honored as your brother."

Giotto might have cried a bit at that and if he did he knew Reborn wouldn't think less of him.

**….**

Timoteo was old.

Really, he was an _old man_.

_70 years old._

His madre hadn't even lived that long.

Hell, _he_ hadn't lived anywhere close to that long, or even half as long.

He was –

The last thing he remembered –

How was the man still _alive_?

Giotto squeezed his eyes briefly and breathed out slowly.

"Tsunayoshi?" Even his concerned voice was old.

The man was either more powerful that Giotto could sense, or he had _phenomenal_ protection.

"I'm fine, Ojisan. Just tired."

The man nodded, "That understandable, Reborn tells me you're having to fend off naysayers."

Giotto squashed the urge to flick his wrist.

"It's not that, I've just been staying up late studying," it was a lie. Giotto knew it was a lie, Reborn knew it was a lie, and if Timoteo knew it, he was graciously ignoring it.

"I've been told that you have decided to accept mantle of our Famiglia," he began.

"I know you were unsure in the beginning but the fact remains the same.

"You, Tsunayoshi, are the only one capable of destroying Vongola as it is."

Giotto uncrossed is legs and leaned towards the most powerful man in Italy.

"You're wrong, Nono.

"Vongola needs to be guided not dismantled.

"And you're nothing but a fool if you _ever_ believed I would destroy our family."

Nono's Storm stepped forward and Giotto wondered if he was going to try to defend his boss.

But, Timoteo just looked pleased.

He raised a hand to stop his Guardian.

"My mother entrusted me with our family when I was seventeen years old.

"I was young and ambitious in the beginning. Then, ambition turned to selfishness and selfishness into greed. I fell into the same trap as the generations before me.

"I carried on my mother's legacy of destruction and only helped our family fall further.

"I wanted the power to be unopposed and I was for many years.

"Age took over me and now there are many days where I can barely stand. It took my fifty years to find your resolve and it's too late for me.

"But not for you, Tsunayoshi. You understand what it took me my entire life to find."

Giotto blinked several times at the unexpected confession and he saw Timoteo for the first time.

Suddenly, sat before his wasn't the leader of the strongest Famiglia in Italy but a sad, tired, regretful old man and he understood why he was chosen.

He thought for a moment.

"During the Unification it wasn't uncommon for soldiers to abuse their power. Homes were burned and ransacked, libraries destroyed, and people were fearful.

"This time was the birth place of our family.

"Giotto di Vongola and Simon Cozzarto did not create the Vongola in hope of combating the movement, of taking control of the South.

"Vongola was created solely to protect those being effected.

"We've all heard the story, Nono.

"But what's been forgotten is that it's not just a story. It's our history.

"That is my resolve. To protect the innocent and to protect the founding values of the Vongola."

**….**

The pervert finally had the gall to actually approach her.

And as she left him behind her she felt the familiar reach of Mist Flames.

_They had been traveling for quite some time and, yet, it had only taken three days for Daemon to be able to activate his Flames._

_They sat cross-legged on the bed in the room they had rented for the night._

_The deep purple danced between his fingers and she took his hands into her own._

_"The gentleman you are to meet requires a man of your strength."_

_"I don't believe it is because I am a man that he requires me._

_"I believe he also needs a woman like you at his side."_

_She shook her head but didn't meet his eyes._

_She allowed her flames to fill the room leaving them sitting them in an empty ballroom._

_"You are not stronger than I. So, power is not the requirement."_

_She had accepted that she wasn't chosen, she _had_. And she had no harsh feelings towards Daemon, she picked him herself after all._

_She quite liked him actually. He was a beautiful pretender, a born deceiver. She respected that in a man. She found it took a special kind of person to fool those around them without fooling one's self._

_She allowed the illusion to fall and with one hand she reached to the chain around her neck and undid the clasp._

_A single lens hung from the silver._

_She would teach him this, how to inflict the greatest pain upon someone, how to write the curse of death._

_She pressed the lens into his palm._

_She would teach him this now and, when he was ready, she would teach him how to take over. How to make a mind his own. She would make him strong for Vongola, for Giotto, because she knew in her heart that this was her purpose, that this is why she wasn't chosen. Like true mist, she would move undetected, untethered, and she would protect her family._

**….**

The front door was swung open abruptly and Giotto was instantly filled with a deep sense of dread.

Sure footsteps climbed the stairs quickly and he watched his door swing open.

Everything on Alaudi's person was in place but his eyes.

His eyes –

Something was wrong.

Something was unspeakably wrong.

Giotto couldn't speak fear clouding his mind.

He could faintly make out Reborn and Alaudi speaking but all he heard was:

"Yamamoto Takeshi was attack.

"He's at the hospital unresponsive."

Giotto very suddenly – and very desperately – wished for G's presence.

The man had always been good in a bad situation and Giotto really needed that now.

**….**

Knuckle had found him and sent Alaudi to find him whilst he waited for the ambulance.

The hospital doors slid open all too slowly especially since he could see the faces of his family.

Knuckle met him before he made it to the group.

"I- I tried to heal him, Giotto, but even my Flames weren't enough."

The man looked on the verge of tears and Giotto pulled him down into a hug.

"I know you've done all you can. Thank you for taking care of everyone, _Santiago_."

Knuckle took a deep breath and straightened his back.

"Gokudera-kun needs you more right now."

**….**

It was happening.

It was happening again.

His elbows dug into his knees and his hands pressed against his face.

_It was happening again_.

Asari was covered in blood and he felt his face going numb from his harsh breathes.

_Again._

A gentle touch pulled his hands from his face and a familiar Flame danced across his skin.

"Not again, boss. I can't do this again," he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Hey, look at me."

It took a moment but he opened his eyes.

His boss smiled, "What have I told you about calling me boss. I do have a name, you know." He ruffled his hair like –

Like when they were –

"Giotto…" G breathed.

**…**

Giotto was grateful for a great many things.

The circumstances in which he got his brother back was not one of them.

He didn't know what happened to G after –

After –

G had never done well alone ever since they were kids.

Together they had taken on the world and the last time Giotto looked into his eyes was when he was –

When –

G had been the one to find him hunched over Alaudi's body.

G had been the one to find Asari slain.

G had watched their family fall one by one and he was always too late to save them.

To save _him_.

The bullet hadn't been meant for him.

The shooter didn't even know he was there.

But Giotto _felt _it and _moved._

The last he saw G he was hunched over _his_ body.

Giotto took his oldest friend's face in his hands, "You're not alone anymore."

**….**

She knew she hadn't been around since they had returned from the future, but she had always respected Asari and the family needed her.

She saw his broken body as they wheeled him into the operating room.

Mukuro should be there.

Daemon was many things but he had _never_ abandoned the family in a time of need.

She wondered what he was doing that he deemed it so important he couldn't bother to check in.

The tears that filled her eyes were not of fear but of anger.

How _dare_ a mere child –

There were more important things to worry about.

Giotto was crouched before Gokudera-kun and she truly wished she could help comfort him.

But her presence would be more of a hindrance because she had no doubt Giotto felt her death on his hands.

So, she was support from the shadows and later – if ever – she would reveal herself.

In this life she was Giotto's Mist. She had obtained all she had ever wanted and if she were to speak to soon she feared he would turn her away in guilt.

She had everything she had ever wanted and, yet, she was alone.

**….**

"Thank you, Chrome-chan."

G was by his side and Asari may never walk again.

But Chrome was nothing if not talented with her Flame and if they got their way, no one would ever know.

Giotto stood across from Timoteo a box locked with Sky Flames resting on a cushion.

He froze in its presence.

That was –

That was his –

That was his madre's jewelry box.

"I pass this on to you, Decimo."

With shaky hands he lifted the box allowing his Flames to break the seal.

This was it.

This was _it._

In the next moment he would be impossibly close to regaining his family.

Slowly he lifted the lid.

And then, the box slipped from his hands.

The crash echoed through the room and Giotto resisted the buckling of his legs.

Everyone's eyes were on him

Oh god.

Oh god.

That was –

That was –

G rushed to his side

_He walked freely through the bloodstained hall._

_He was the only player that could have changed the tide of the battle._

_He picked up Simon's bloody hat and felt a part of him wither and die._

Giotto clasped a hand over his mouth breathing through his nose.

"Tsunayoshi? What's wrong?"

Giotto crouched before the fallen box and lifted the lid once more.

G stilled.

"This isn't the sin, Nono.

"Where is the key?"

Giotto grabbed the box and held it to his chest slowly rising to his feet.

"The sin of Vongola is and always has been the key to Simon's Family's tomb.

"If your goal here is to shock me with this _thing_.

"Than our family has fallen much further than I could have expected.

"You will give me the key and me and my family will leave here unhindered."

Timoteo whispered something to his Storm Guardian who nodded once and strode out of the room.

"Since Primo's time, it has been our family's duty to watch over the Simon tomb. To maintain it and, on the anniversary of their deaths, light candles in their honor.

"Giotto di Vongola and Simon Cozzarto were brothers in all but blood and when Primo was given the news of his death, he went to the battle ground himself

"I don't know how you know about the key, but the real sin is kept in a Flame proof vault."

**….**

He was near, she could feel it.

Her eyes scanned the crowd until they met with those of that pervert.

That pervert that possessed Daemon's flames.

Silently, she slipped across the room and grabbed him by the arm.

"We need to talk," her tone left no room for argument and he followed her from the grand hall.

"Where is he?"

"Who?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Daemon. Where is Daemon Spade?"

A familiar laugh assaulted her ears.

"Well, that all depends on who's asking." The voice echoed around her.

"I never have and I will never play games with you Daemon.

"You should know that by now."

It took but a moment and he was behind her.

"Elena?"

She turned slowly and smiled sweetly.

"I've heard you've caused quite the ruckus, Mr. Spade. I would have thought I trained you better than that."

**….**

"What?"

Kozarto pushed himself to the front of the crowed.

"What did you say?"

Timoteo turned to the young boss. "The day the original Simon Famiglia was killed, they had been lured into a trap by a rival Famiglia.

"Primo sent his Guardians to their aid but once they arrived, it was too late."

"You're lying," his voice was clouded with doubt. "Vongola Primo sent his Guardians to exterminate our family."

And then, Giotto understood.

"Someone has deceived you, Kozarto-kun, and whoever it was has led you and your family down a dark path.

"Who told you that?"

Kozarto looked between Giotto and Timoteo several times. "I-I I've always known."

Timoteo's Storm returned with a leather bound necklace box.

"Show him," Timoteo's voice was firm.

Timoteo's Guardians began to user everyone from the hall and the room grew cold.

Kozarto withdrew an old wrought iron key.

Gingerly holding it in his palm, he whirled around to face his Guardians who had gathered behind him.

"…you should have told me. I've told you time and time again that you can't just blindly follow me.

"If you do we will always end up back here."

Kozarto's voice had morphed into something far more familiar and Giotto felt himself sag slightly against G in relief.

He couldn't have done it.

He couldn't have fought anyone with his family's faces.

They would have lost and Vongola would have fallen. Walking with more self-assuredness than Enma Kozarto could have ever possibly possessed, Simon Cozzarto strode towards them.

Simon reached out to hand him the key and Giotto just stared down at it dumbly.

_"Long time no see, Giotto."_


End file.
